Dean Fry

[corvallisclimb]

Dean Fry would simply have re-written the history of Oregon rock climbing, had he not crashed on HW 20 that October night in 1973 on his way back to Corvallis (The day he did Math Test). If you've ever climbed one of his routes you will understand. His career only spanned two years but the routes he added are some of the most serious in Oregon. Some are classics as well. If any one had climbed one of his routes I'd love to hear your stories.

 

Off the top of my head here is a list of his routes and FFAs . I will make it more complete when I have some guide books in front of me.

 

Smith Rock

 

FFA Free Lunch via Unfinished Symphony (5.9 A3) - Picnic Linch Wall - Dean Fry, Larry Kemp - Mar 6 1972

FA Shipwreck (5.8 R) - East Ship - Dean Fry, Terri Rader - Jan 3 1973

FA No Doz (5.9 A4) - West Ship - Dean Fry, Russ Bunker - Feb 24 1973

FFA Zebra Zion (5.1a) - Morning Glory Wall - Dean Fry, Jeff Thomas - Jan 13 1973

FA Fridays Jinx (5.7 R) - The Four Horsmen - Dean Fry, Paul Fry March 10, 1973

FFA Math Test aka Karate Crack to Peapod Cave (5.10a) - The Diheadrals - Dean Fry, Steve Lyford - Oct 3 1973

FA Skag Variation (5.8 R) - The Diheadrals - Jeff Thomas, Dean Fry - Nov 4 1972

FFA Moonshine Diheadral (5.9) - The Diheadrals - Dean Fry, Jeff Thomas - Nov 4 19729

FA Methuselas Column (5.10a R) - The Diheadrals - Dean Fry, Paul Fry - Mar 10 1973

FA Lycopodophyta (5.8) - The Diheadrals - Dean Fry, Jeff Thomas - Dec 17 1973

FFA New Testiment (5.10a) - The Christian Brothers - Dean Fry, Larry Kemp - Feb 18 1973

FA Smith Summit East Wall (5.8 X) - Dean Fry, Wayne Arrington - May 27 1973

FA London Tower (5.10a R) - Dean Fry, Russ Bunker, Steve Mikesell - Apr 14 1973

FA Desert Solitair (5.10a R) - Kola Rock - Jeff Thomas, Keith Edwards, Dean Fry - Nov 25 1972

FA Catfight Cracks (5.10a X) - The Wombat - Dean Fry, Jeff Thomas - Sept 30 1972

FA CL Concerto (5.9 A4) - The Wombat - Dean Fry, Jack Barrar Sept 13-14 1972

 

 

FA Space Cowboy (5.9 R) - Wolf Rock - Dean Fry, Jack Barrar 1972

FA Gigantor (5.8 X) - Wolf Rock - Wayne Arrington, Dean Fry 1973

 

 

FA Butter Fingers (5.9 R) - Menagerie

FA The Seal - (5.7) - Menagerie

 

 

Dean was a bad ass.

 

 

 

Edited March 1, 2010 by corvallisclimb

[JosephH]

Sounds like someone I would like to have climbed with had he had stayed with us. Ditto with Vern Stiefel who was one of the best climbers I've met in recent years. And of course it goes without saying I would liked to have gotten in more climbs with Jim Anglin. Everyone has their time, sometimes we're lucky enough to get some of them while they're here, sometimes we're not. C'est la vie...

[wayne]

Nice tribute Tyler. His name was always next to the more aggressive guide book entries in the 1st guide. Cant believe only 2 years! Would be cool to hear more.

[fgw]

Dean & Paul Fry climbed St. Petes in 1972 (18th party). Jeff Thomas & Don Baars have a couple paragraphs (story relayed to Jeff by Paul) on that climb in their article in Mazama Annual…long story short, Paul took a lead fall & nearly severed the lead rope. Dean refused to give up despite his brother's pleading and they continued to the summit on their ratty haul rope.

[corvallisclimb]

Hey Radek,

 

Do you have a scanner? You should scan the Mazama article and post it!

 

[fgw]

Tyler, I don't have a scanner but I also don't want to piss off the authors or mazamas by posting up their stuff. I can mail you a photocopy of it - shoot me a pm with your info.

[ACW]

If you get a chance to chat with Jeff Thomas, he has many great stories to tell about Dean. He even wrote a wonderful personal tribute to Dean that he let me read a couple years back. Obviously, 5.11 would have arrived on Smith tuff much earlier, and probably higher grades as well if Dean hadn't died. I understand he was very focused, which makes sense given how much he accomplished in such a short time. He died 18 months before I first climbed at Smith.

 

I've always thought that Methuselah's Column was one of the most visionary leads at Smith, done on lead with bad rock and 1/4" bolts. But I'm most curious about Cat Fight Cracks. I've never done it, nor have I talked to anyone who has. Jeff told me once that the second pitch Dean led was almost completely unprotected, with ground fall potential from 150 feet up! It's possible modern gear might make it far safer, but who knows?

[corvallisclimb]

Well Alan I must say that A4 pitch on CL Concerto has to be one of the most impressive aid pitches anywhere in Oregon. Doing that in 1972 with RURPS and KBs is absolutly insane to think about.

 

Tyler

[BillA]

I was very happy to clip the anchors on Methuselah's Column. I found the climbing to be bold and scary even with modern sticky rubber and 1/2" bolts. Very, very impressive considering Dean did the FA 37 years ago and on lead! And I was scared just belaying the A4 pitch on CL Concerto. Most impressive aid lead I've seen: loose, hollow mud nailing (yeah Tyler!). And again, Dean did it almost 40 years ago! He was the man!!

[corvallisclimb]

Bump for Dean! No ones got a story from a Dean Fry route. He did some stuff at Beacon too!

 

[ivan]

really? whaaaat? don't have a guide near me n' my drunk n' tired (beacon rawwwwked 2night!)

[ivan]

he did the first free ascent of right gull! uber-classic beacon route! strongly recomend it to you tyler if you ever come down here - you can finish to the top via my new hibernal hijinx (or riverside)

 

he's listed w/ the first complete ascent of dod's, but the upper part of that route blows donkeys

 

fa of free for all - the best 5.8 crack at beacon

 

didn't see any other credits for him in the olson guide, but hell those are 3 stellar, super-classic beacon routes, so !

[corvallisclimb]

A4 pitch on CL Concerto, 38 years later.

 

last pitch on CL Concerto, A2.

 

Damn Dean was a bad ass!

[BillA]

A couple more pictures from the Concerto and a few words can be found here if anyone is interested:

 

http://postjock.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/dean-fry-and-smith-rock-grade-vii/

[ivan]

aid climbers have the most fun

[wayne]

Great report, Who's blog is that?

[corvallisclimb]

Wayne, that blog would be by Mr. BillAmos him self, my partner in crime.

 

woot finally a solid pin! Thanks to Kira for taking this picture while on Birds in a Rut.

Edited March 8, 2010 by corvallisclimb

[alexbaker]

Bump for Dean, Tyler and Bill on doing something unique and hard. Tyler lead the A4 pitch the day after his birthday, I can't imagine you felt that great hiking up there and starting the lead Tyler, but maybe your used to it?

 

Alex

Edited March 8, 2010 by alexbaker

[ivan]

Wayne, that blog would be by Mr. BillAmos him self, my partner in crime.

 

woot finally a solid pin! Thanks to Kira for taking this picture while on Birds in a Rut.

great shot!

[Winter]

rad.

[powderhound]

Tyler lead the A4 pitch the day after his birthday, I can't imagine you felt that great hiking up there and starting the lead Tyler, but maybe your used to it?

 

Alex

 

sounds like the tyler I know....badass tyler, can't wait to see you in the valley soon!

 

[corvallisclimb]

Wow thanks guys! Bump to get hood outta the way!

[beaconben]

sheesh tyler, i must say i take you to be quite the badass at this point.

 

dude, you have got to bag a classic el cap route while you have your aid head. i would love to read a tr from you about P.O., sea of dreams, zenyatta mondatta. i have talked to people who have done these routes, compared to what you are doing, you might not even find this selection scary enough. go do reticent, or worse. it is granite, after all. just freaky, expanding, loose, hollow sounding granite. oh, and whatever that black shit rock is called. shit may actually be the technical term for it.

 

 

[stevetimetravlr]

diorite is what you are talking about I believe.